1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a receptacle connector and, particularly, to a dustproof receptacle connector.
2. The Related Art
In the field of electronic connectors, a type of connector is designed with dustproof function in order to avoid the deterioration of electrical connection even short circuit, which are caused by contamination.
Japan patent NO. 2004-31186 issued on Jan. 29, 2004, disclosed a dustproof receptacle connector, which includes a female shield, a housing enclosed by the female shield, and a plurality of female contacts disposed in the housing. The housing has a receiving cavity with a front opening defined in a front surface thereof. A dustproof cover is slidably received in the receiving cavity for sealing the front opening, with two projecting pillars extending rearwards from the rear surface thereof. Correspondingly, two mounting holes are defined in a rear wall of the housing, and two springs are respectively positioned by one end of each spring retained on the corresponding projecting pillar of the dustproof cover and the other end of each spring infixed in the corresponding mounting hole of the housing. Each female contact has a conductive portion received in the receiving cavity for making electrical connection with a mating plug connector. Thus, when in use, the mating plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector to push the dustproof cover sliding towards the rear wall of the housing with the springs against the dustproof cover being gradually compressed, so that the conductive portions of the receptacle connector are exposed out entirely of the dustproof cover for making electrical connection with the mating plug connector. When the mating plug connector is pulled out, the elasticity of the compressed springs pushes the dustproof cover to slide outwards to seal the front opening of the receptacle connector for protecting the conductive portions of the female contacts from contaminants such as dust, dirt or moisture.
However, in these prior connectors, each spring is positioned between the projecting pillar of the dustproof cover and the mounting hole of the housing only by two ends of the spring, so the main body of the spring easily oscillates laterally and cause the unsteady sliding of the dustproof cover as the mating plug connector being inserted into the receptacle connector, and furthermore the unsteady sliding of the dustproof cover results in bad dustproof function during the dustproof cover sliding back by the resilience of the springs to seal the front opening of the receptacle connector again. In addition, the springs will depart from the projecting pillars or the mounting holes in a condition of greater lateral deformation of the compressed springs. Therefore, the prior dustproof receptacle connector cannot provide a reliable dustproof function.